Presentation

The "Soyotte", a non-profit-making association, has been looking for dances, music, traditional songs and costumes since 1955. In 1976 it bought an 18th century farmhouse at the Faing de Ste Marguerite in order to emphasize housing conditions and old crafts in the Vosges within its walls - 82 up to now. Volunteers restored, with great care and respect, tapestries, paintings, and decor dating from the beginning of the 20th century.

This traditionalfarmhouse of the Vosges mountains has arched doors, and a long corridor which leads to the pink sandstone-paved kitchen with fine exposed deams. There you can see an omposing fireplace, a baker's oven, a stone sink with a small window on the wall over it, an "araignée", a pot bench, a water pump and a dresser wit a flap.All these are characteristic of old time life.

To the right of the main corridor, next to each other, a barn, a stable and a shed eveke the numerous farm works for wich vans, wheelbarrows, ploughs, carts, wagons and timber carts were used.

In the small rooms upstairs, costums, weaving and various women's works call the visitors' attention. They express the atmosphere of hard work and thrift in which farmers spent their everyday life in the early 20th century.

The old hayloft was restored to give a good idea of the many "small .winter works" of the time: clogs, pipes, tanning, baskets, beekeaping, wood sledges, firewood and brooms, chairs and tiles.

Children have not been forgotten. They like playing in the toy part and going to the schoolpar of the place.

Among the 7,000 objects of our collections, the visitors will certainly admire the millstone and the ox-driven threshing "machine", the old stagecoach, the smithy, the alcove, the numerous laces, and the weavinglooms in working order.

And after a dance step to the music of the player piano they willgo off with their eyes full of dreams...